Martin Fera
Osor Unveiled: Decoding Ancient Maritime Marvels in the northern Adriatic
In a collaborative effort funded by the Austrian Science Fund and the Slovenian Research Agency, the Weave framework enables the exploration of Osor’s role in Adriatic shipping routes during the Iron Age and Roman period. Steeped in myth, Osor’s history, located at a connection point of the croatian islands Cres and Lošinj, was in the focus of archaeological investigations throughout a century, yielding diverse and sometimes conflicting interpretations. The project, directed by Nives Doneus for the Vienna Institute of Archaeological Science of the Universtity of Vienna and Martina Blečić-Kavur University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities, Institute of Archaeology and Heritage, aims to clarify questions to maritime routes, the origin of the Osor Channel, and Osor’s significance in the broader landscape as a Roman center. Employing a multimethod scientific approach, our research combines material culture studies with archaeological prospection methods, promising a broad perspective. Joint underwater and terrestrial archaeological methods allow deeper insights, extending the discussion beyond Osor’s maritime importance to explore settlement development, land use and the impact of sea-level changes.
Visit the project’s website to find out more about the current and planned work!
